Timing Belt

[LEK-89]

I've got to get the timing belt & tensioner changed on my 1.6 petrol Focus, I have already purchased a Timing Belt Kit (consists of the belt, tensioner & 2 fixing bolts) from my local Ford parts shop and I'm just wondering what a reasonable price would be for a garage to carry out the job? I have already rang 2 garages that I have used previously and they both quoted me £100 to carry out the job, does this sound about right?

Thanks all - Liam

 

[Deleted member 66701]

£100 sounds a good price.

It's typically 3hrs labour.

 

[dalin80]

Get the auxiliary belt done at the same time.

 

[LEK-89]

Get the auxiliary belt done at the same time.

Aux belt and the aux tensioner were replaced last year.

Thanks for the replies I had a feeling £100 is a good price.

Liam

 

[Skii]

Bite their arm off for £100 !

 

[Maccapacca]

Good price, have you thought about doing yourself? just for the experience?

 

[LEK-89]

Good price, have you thought about doing yourself? just for the experience?

You must be joking lol I would be totally lost with doing it myself, with doing the timing I would just get it all wrong! I would probably feel confident about doing it once someone showed me how to do it. I have never done any serious engine work like this before.

Liam

 

[J.B]

I got my timing belt done the other day and was told it was 2.5-3 hours labour. Cost me over £200!

 

[Maccapacca]

You must be joking lol I would be totally lost with doing it myself, with doing the timing I would just get it all wrong! I would probably feel confident about doing it once someone showed me how to do it. I have never done any serious engine work like this before.

Liam

Hee hee take that as a no then, it's only a rubber belt on a simple engine at the end of the day, have you met many mechanics? not very many brain surgeons between them

 

[dalin80]

Good price, have you thought about doing yourself? just for the experience?

Its not one you can do without the timing kit, the cam and crank pulleys free wheel with the bolts removed and without the locking pin and plate you will never get the engined timed again.

 

[Matt82]

and getting the bottom pulley undone isnt straight forward

 

[Iceman]

If iwas you i would also replace the idler for the timing belt too, 9 times out of 10 its the idler that fails.

 

[LEK-89]

If iwas you i would also replace the idler for the timing belt too, 9 times out of 10 its the idler that fails.

Do you mean the actual tensioner itself? If so then the I get a new tensioner with the kit I have got. Or do you mean the crankshaft idler?

Liam

 

[dalin80]

and getting the bottom pulley undone isnt straight forward

The crank bolt should also be replaced each time.

 

[-westy-]

Do you mean the actual tensioner itself? If so then the I get a new tensioner with the kit I have got. Or do you mean the crankshaft idler?

Liam

Idler/tensioner - same thing IME.

 

[Dogbreath]

Idler/tensioner - same thing IME.

Not really. Idlers are fixed, tensioners have some mechanism to allow them to be moved.

 

[Janesy B]

Get the auxiliary belt done at the same time.

Lol.

 

[TaKeN]

Lol.

?

It's in the same area. Easier to do with the Cambelt cover off aswell surely...

 

[-westy-]

Not really. Idlers are fixed, tensioners have some mechanism to allow them to be moved.

Ah, my mistake then As far as I was aware, they did the same job? Or is that still correct, just with different tensioning methods?

 

[Janesy B]

?

It's in the same area. Easier to do with the Cambelt cover off aswell surely...

Not at all. The op says its been done already. If it does need doing again you remove the offside front wheel, get a ring spanner to release the tensioner and get someone to help take the old belt off and feed the new belt through. No engine covers need removing and its a 20 min job.